1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to gaming apparatuses, and more particularly to a gaming apparatus which employs means for randomly selecting a winner from a field of entrants, determining the winner, and providing a payout based on such selection, the selection of a winner being detected by sensing means which do not contact the randomly moving elements which dictate the selection.
2. Description of the Contemporary and/or Prior Art
The attraction to games of chance, whether they incorporate a means for wagering or not are well known. This attraction centers, in many instances, on the user trying to predict an outcome of a randomized event. Typical of such gaming devices are those commonly known as slot machines, for instance the apparatuses shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,010,487 issued to Hochriem on Aug. 6, 1935; 4,240,635 issued to Brown on Dec. 23, 1980; and 4,335,809 issued to Wain on June 22, 1982. Hochriem shows a mechanical slot machine and Wain and Brown show electronic slot machines. Random or pseudorandom generation of data, which determines a winner in Brown or Wain, cannot be visualized by the user since it is accomplished by an algorithm. While a spinning wheel may be simulated by the displays of these apparatuses, this is merely to enhance the attractiveness of the play and is not an actual visualization of the mechanism employed to accomplish the random determination by the algorithm. Similarly, in Hochriem the mechanical interaction of the elements thereof determines the random selection of the position of the indicia on the wheels thereof, but the mechanism by which the random selection is accomplished is not visible to the user. While the excitement provoked through the use of these apparatuses is well known, such intrigue and excitement is limited to predicting an outcome and the user is not a participant or an observer in the random selection of a winner.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 1,995,137 issued to Woolard on Mar. 19, 1935 discloses an apparatus wherein a winner is selected based upon mechanical interaction of several components. Specifically, Woolard discloses a plurality of electrically driven elements, driven by an eccentric drive, which obtain particular positions dependent upon the effect of the driving of the elements. The rotation is arbitrarily stopped after a preselected time and the relative position of the elements is judged to determine the winner. Visualization of the mechanism which provides a sequencing, i.e., the eccentric drive, does not corrolate with the position of the movable elements and thus the positional location of the elements is not truly random but is periodically varied to correspond in part to the eccentricity of the cam. Furthermore, the outcome of the contest does not corrolate to the activity visualized by the user during the selection process.
In an obvious attempt to enhance the excitement of play of gaming machines, several references teach apparatuses which permit user input to vary the outcome thereof. Because of user input, the skill and acumen of the player is brought to bear on the ultimate outcome. Such references include U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,912,324 issued to Trasch on May 30, 1933; 1,971,062 issued to Burton on Aug. 21, 1934; 2,010,966 issued to Sieden on Aug. 13, 1935; and 2,188,619 issued to Bernhardt on Jan. 30, 1940.
Trasch teaches a coin operated game wherein a plurality of discs are randomly moved on a pair of rotating turntables. Through player input, the randomly moving discs are forced into a preselected position by the player. Although incorporating random movement, the random movement does not dictate the outcome of the play of the game. The outcome is instead determined by user input and manipulation of the structure of the apparatus to force one of the randomly moving discs into a preselected position.
The patent to Burton shows a gaming apparatus wherein coins are dropped into a structure of rotating columns. As the columns rotate, the user manipulates structure of the apparatus to try to open trap doors at the bottom of the columns to produce a payout. Here again, the determination of the outcome is user controlled.
In the same manner, the patent to Sieden teaches a game of skill wherein balls are rolled down inclines and are trapped in holes to actuate circuits. The trapping of the balls in holes is accomplished through skillful manipulation of the components of the apparatus by the player. In a similar manner, the patent to Bernhardt shows a plurality of electrically driven elements that are powered both by user varying of an input signal and a second input signal which is beyond the control of the user and which is varied by an eccentric mechanism that interacts with a rheostat. No random sequencing is therefore shown.
While games of skill do provide significant interaction and represent one manner to enhance excitement over blind random selection, as in the aforediscussed slot machines, many complications can arise with such apparatuses such as to the manner in which they can be used, the frequency of repairs necessary, and their suitability for licensed gaming establishments.
The present invention provides a significant advance in the gaming art by setting forth a novel construction which enhances user enjoyment and excitement by permitting visualization by the user of the actual mechanism which randomly determines the outcome thereof. Despite all the activity in the gaming arts for better than 75 years, no one has shown or suggested the use of a mechanism which will permit the user to watch the random selection of a winner and which will accept bets by the player and provide a payout based on the selection process and the bets placed.
The present invention accomplishes this by providing a gaming apparatus which includes accepting means for accepting wagers from the user as to the order in which a group of movable elements will reach the bottom of an inclined surface or surfaces, the inclined surface or surfaces having interposed thereon a plurality of deflection means which cause randomization of the outcome of the game in regard to the final arrival order of the movable elements and which includes means for determining such outcome and for making a payout based upon the outcome reconciled with the wagers placed. Because of the employment of the particular configuration of deflection means which causes randomization, the user or users can actually watch the random selection taking place as real time action and, over a preselected period of time, will be afforded the excitement, anxiety, satisfaction, and possibly disappointment as the various movable elements travel over the inclined plane and either take a lead or fall behind relative to other movable elements and specifically in regard to the movable element selected by the user. Such an enhancement in a random selection gaming device has been heretofore unknown.
The general idea of rolling marbles or the like down an incline which includes deflection pins is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 271,530 issued to Spang on Jan. 30, 1883; 503,318 issued to Hawkes on Aug. 15, 1893; 1,374,844 issued to Flatow on Apr. 21, 1921; and 1,531,401 issued to Kawai on Mar. 31, 1925. However, none of these references show or suggest use of an inclined plane with deflection means in a wagering type gaming apparatus which includes means for accepting wagers from a user and means for determining the outcome of the wagers. It is clear therefore that despite the teachings of inclined planes with deflection means in the toy type amusement device art those of ordinary skill in the art in constructing wagering type gaming apparatuses, despite their intense desire to create new and more exciting gaming apparatuses have not, over a significantly long period of time, found it obvious to incorporate such teachings in wagering type gaming apparatuses.
A major drawback in games such as those shown in Spang, Hawkes, Flatow, and Kawai is that it is extremely likely a rolling marble, ball, or the like will "hang up" or be caught on one of the deflection pins or similar means thereof causing one entrant to not finish a race. While this is of insignificant consequence in a toy type game it is totally unacceptable in a self-supervising gaming apparatus. The present invention overcomes this problem by providing specific means for precluding the snagging or hanging up of one of the movable elements thereof on the deflection pins or the like provided, therefore providing a significant advance over known devices.
In general, other marble racing toys are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,001,366 issued to Mittelman on May 14, 1935 and 1,018,956 issued to Bebon on Feb. 27, 1912. Rolling of marbles in single tracks are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,883,137 issued to Bengtson on May 13, 1975; and 3,451,678 issued to Gehrts on June 24, 1969. Other games which include rolling objects on sloped surfaces are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,153,250 issued to Anthony on May 8, 1979; and 3,711,094 issued to Coffman on Jan. 16, 1973. Anthony teaches a gravity type racing game wherein user input determines the outcome and Coffman teaches a rolling ball game apparatus wherein rubberband deflectors are provided to enhance a random outcome. Rubberbands are mounted on a single inclined surface at various locations thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 930,164 issued to Eberman on Aug. 3, 1909 generally shows the use of deflection pins on an inclined surface in a pinball type game and U.S. Pat. No. 1,571,188 issued to Diegel on Feb. 2, 1976 shows a multileveled inclined surface which provides a plurality of openings into which marbles or the like can be trapped. After the marbles are trapped in the openings they are removed and stop locks are disposed therein.
In reviewing the aforenoted games which employ inclined surfaces and deflection pins or the like for effecting the order in which marbles or the like arrive at a finish point, it is to be noted that none of these apparatuses show or suggest means for determining the order in which the marbles or the like arrive at a finish point through noncontact detection and for accomplishing some wagering related activity subsequent to such a determination.